11 ways to fix Minecraft multiplayer not working

How to Fix Minecraft Multiplayer Not Working?

Suddenly find it impossible to connect with your friends and find multiplayer on Minecraft is not working all of a sudden?

Minecraft is a simplistic game that gives its players complete control over what they can create, how they can create it, and the extent of the things they can build. Many players worldwide can create towns, cities, kingdoms, and even a working copy of Pokemon Red inside the game itself.

The boundless creativity and gameplay granted by Minecraft make every playthrough worth all the precious hours spent. Solo play is always a self-fulfilling experience in Minecraft with the pacing and projects you can take but multiplayer is perhaps the best way to enjoy Minecraft as you get to do everything we mentioned previously and more with the players you’ll be playing with.

Multiplayer in Minecraft is sure to bring countless hours of fun and memories, but the experience can easily be ruined and disturbed with multiplayer suddenly not working. Minecraft’s Multiplayer feature is prone to connection errors which can stop it from working entirely and make it impossible for you to connect with others and play with them.

 


Types of Minecraft Multiplayer Not Working

Many Minecraft players will often find themselves at the mercy of connection errors when they try to play Multiplayer and find the feature suddenly not working. This can come in the form of your game not being able to detect any servers on your server list, not being able to host a server of your own, or just being unable to access the internet despite your other apps accessing them just fine.

Some even come across the Unable to connect to world error when attempting to join their friends world in Minecraft. If you’ve come across this particular error we recommend checking out our other guide catering to fixing this error, here.

Types of Minecraft multiplayer not working

 

So, how does your Minecraft multiplayer error appear like? Feel free to share your experience in the comments below, and we or another reader, might just be able to lend a helping hand!


 

Minecraft is playable on various platforms, including mobile and console, with cross-play between specific platforms possible. Each platform has its methods for multiplayer, so it isn’t easy to give exact fixes for each console when dealing with Minecraft Multiplayer suddenly not working.

Nonetheless, we have tried our best and compiled here five reasons why your Minecraft Multiplayer might not be working as well as 11 fixes that you can try to fix and improve your situation.

All the fixes found in this guide will cover all the platforms Minecraft is readily available in, with the main focus being on the desktop version of the app. With everything out of the way and said, let’s get down to exploring some fixes so you can get back to exploring your world in Minecraft with your friends!

 

 

Why is Minecraft Multiplayer Not Working?

1. Your Privacy Settings Restrict Online Play

One reason you might be unable to access multiplayer in Minecraft might come from the privacy settings with your account and platform with which you are playing Minecraft. The personal settings for your Minecraft game/account rarely affect your single-player games but will significantly influence your ability to play multiplayer or even connect to the internet.

Depending on how the config for your multiplayer settings and privacy settings are set to, you may or may not be able to play multiplayer games in Minecraft. In situations like this, having strict restrictions on your settings can make it impossible to play multiplayer in Minecraft and any other games linked to your account and settings.

The possible fixes you can try out are checking the Multiplayer and Privacy Settings related to your Microsoft Account (Step 1) and, for Xbox players, checking your Xbox Nat (Step 2) for any restrictions that influence your ability to play with others in multiplayer.

 

 

2. You Have A Different Version of Minecraft Running

An immediate reason you might not be able to connect to multiplayer or play in multiplayer for Minecraft might be with the version of Minecraft you are using. Minecraft mainly comes in 2 main editions (Bedrock and Java), with distinct differences between the two versions.

To give a brief overview of each version available, the Bedrock edition of Minecraft is usually treated as the main version of Minecraft. It is used in a variety of platforms that promotes crossplay. Conversely, the Java edition allows mods that add more gameplay and depth to the vanilla edition of Minecraft.

Aside from matching Minecraft editions, it is also important to match version numbers down to the last number if you want to be able to play Multiplayer in Minecraft. Updating and using the latest versions of Minecraft (Step 3) is one way to quickly fix any multiplayer connectivity issues you might be having. 

Switching to another version and edition of Minecraft (Step 4) is also a possible fix, as the one that you will be launching greatly depends on the host server that you are playing on.

Mobile and console players who have trouble with the cross-platform feature might need to update their games to access multiplayer. If you are on the latest version and still experiencing issues, the update might’ve not rolled out for the specified platform.

 

 

3. An Issue With Your Internet Connection

A simple yet complex reason why you might not be able to connect with others in Multiplayer for Minecraft might be with your internet connection. Many things can come into play as to why you might be having internet issues with playing in Minecraft, even with a LAN connection.

Whether it’s something going wrong with your internet and router settings or your internet service provider (ISP), we recommend trying out these fixes starting with doing a quick reboot with your router (Step 5), refreshing your IP Address and DNS settings (Step 6) and manually setting a static DNS Address (Step 7).

 

 

4. Minecraft Is Blocked by your Antivirus and Firewall

Continuing from the previous reason, a succeeding reason why your Minecraft Multiplayer and LAN might not be working is the program being blocked by your antivirus and firewall. Since Minecraft uses the internet to connect with other players and allow others to connect with it, it can sometimes get falsely flagged as malicious by your system.

While Minecraft is entirely safe and shouldn’t encounter these issues, having the game blocked in your firewall and antivirus can cause problems with your ability to access the internet and content. The fastest way to fix this is to unblock the game itself through your Firewall (Step 8) and your Antivirus/Security (Step 9) so that Minecraft (and any other application related to it) can access its online features, which includes multiplayer.

 

 

5. There’s an Issue with the Minecraft Server

A reason why you might be experiencing issues with Minecraft multiplayer might be a result of a problem related to the server you are playing on. Minecraft servers are hosted individually on each player’s platform rather than having an available server that people can access.

Problems such as the server being entire or no longer available can be rarely resolved, and other problems, such as dreaded connection and resource loading errors, can be resolved through numerous means.

When there’s an issue with the Minecraft server you are trying to connect to, you might want to try updating your firmware and network drivers (Step 10) or port forwarding if you are a server host (Step 11)

 

 

11 Fixes for Minecraft Multiplayer Not Working

1. Change your Privacy Settings in Microsoft

Since Minecraft uses your Microsoft account for a majority of your online interaction and play, depending on the settings you have with your privacy and multiplayer, you might not be able to access online and multiplayer if it is restricted on your account.

You can change the privacy settings of your Microsoft account to something more lenient by following these steps:

  1. Sign in to your Microsoft Account on the Microsoft Xbox Website.

Change your privacy settings in Microsoft to fix Minecraft multiplayer not working

 

  1. After signing in, click on the profile icon in the website’s upper right corner and select “Xbox Profile.”

Change your privacy settings in Microsoft

 

  1. Select “Privacy Settings” 🔒 from your Xbox Profile page.

Change your privacy settings in Microsoft

 

  1. Select “Privacy & Online Safety” found underneath the Xbox Settings sub-category.

Change your privacy settings in Microsoft

 

  1. Click on the “Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows 10 Device Online Safety” tab from the Privacy tab.

Change your privacy settings in Microsoft

 

  1. Scroll down the tab above the category and find “You can join multiplayer games”. Select “Allow” and then “Submit,” found at the bottom of the page, to apply these changes.

Change your privacy settings in Microsoft

 

Following the steps above will apply the privacy settings to all platforms with the account you modified logged in. This will carry over to your games and will overwrite most, if not all, privacy settings whenever the profile is active.

Aside from allowing the feature above, we recommend enabling “You can add friends” from the list, as becoming friends on Xbox makes playing together highly convenient.

Change your privacy settings in Microsoft

 

 

2. Check Your Xbox NAT Status

Your NAT Status plays a vital role in your Xbox console as it determines whether or not you can play with other players online. If you are having trouble with your Xbox console playing with friends online, you might consider checking your NAT status. 

Here’s how you can do it:

  1. Press the Xbox button on your Controller to open the User Guide Menu.
  2. Select “Settings” ⚙️ from the User Guide Menu.

Check your Xbox NAT status to fix Minecraft multiplayer not working

 

  1. Select the “General” option from your Settings menu and then “Network Settings”📶.

Check your Xbox NAT status

 

  1. From then on, navigate to “Current Network Status” and check your “NAT Type” listed under it.

Check your Xbox NAT status                    

 

NAT types are categorized under three classifications starting “Open”, “Moderate” and “Strict”. Depending on your NAT status, you may or may not have to change your settings with your router/account to be able to access multiplayer in Minecraft (and in other games). 

We recommend trying out Step 1 if you’re looking for ways that can help alleviate your Xbox NAT.

 

 

3. Check and Update Your Minecraft to its Latest Version

When playing with others in Minecraft, the golden rule for Multiplayer is that you are playing on the same version down to the last number. By default, Minecraft is constantly updated to the latest version whenever possible, although some people opt to update their games manually.

In this situation, you’ll likely fall under this category which is why it is never a bad idea for you (and your friends) to update to the latest version if you suddenly find multiplayer not working. 

Here are the simple steps you can do to do just that:

 

For Desktop

  1. Open the official Minecraft Launcher. The launcher can be downloaded free from Minecraft’s official download page.

Check and update your Minecraft to its latest version on desktop to fix Minecraft multiplayer not working

 

  1. Click on the Version List and select the version that says “Latest Release.”

Check and update your Minecraft on desktop to its latest version

 

  1. Click on “Play,” and this will download the latest version if it’s not already downloaded.

Check and update your Minecraft on desktop to its latest version

 

For Mobile

To check if you are on the latest version of your Minecraft game app, you must visit your respective game store (App Store/Google Play). In the app store, navigate to Minecraft’s app page.

Check and update your Minecraft to its latest version on mobile to fix Minecraft multiplayer not working

 

If a new update is available for the game, the page will have an “Update” button instead of the usual “Play” and “Uninstall” buttons if you are already on the latest version. Press “Update,” and it will automatically start downloading and applying the update.

 

For Xbox

  1. Sign in to your Xbox Account if you haven’t already signed in to it.
  2. Press the Xbox Button on your controller to open your User Guide Menu.
  3. Select “My Apps and Games” from the User Guide Menu.
  4. Look for “Minecraft” in your list of games and select the “More” option.
  5. Select “Manage games and Add-ons.”
  6. Choose “Updates” from the list of options. This will allow the console to check online for any updates that might be available for the game.

 

The console will immediately download any new updates (and even DLC content) that you might’ve missed and apply them to your game. No download will occur if you aren’t connected to the internet or if you are at the latest version available.

 

 

4. Change and Launch a Different Edition/Version of Minecraft

Continuing from the previous fix, if you opt to use previous versions of Minecraft because of several reasons, then you might want to consider creating a version that is catered to that specific version.

This is all the more crucial with selecting between bedrock and java versions of Minecraft, as the former allows you access to crossplay while the latter allows you to use mods. Depending on what kind of multiplayer game, you might need to adjust accordingly to avoid any issues.

Here’s how you can do this simple fix and futureproof it for any additional updates:

  1. Open your Minecraft Launcher and sign in to your Microsoft Account.
  2. Click on “Installations” from the launcher start page and select “New.”

Change and launch a different edition/version of Minecraft to fix Minecraft multiplayer not working

 

  1. Select the name of the version/edition you plan to play in the “Create New Installation” box window.

Change and launch a different edition/version of Minecraft

 

  1. Click on “Create” to confirm your selection.

Change and launch a different edition/version of Minecraft

 

  1. Click on “Play.”

 

Following the steps above will allow you to download and play the selected version of Minecraft you have chosen. Any versions you download and launch this way will be retained until you delete them yourself.

 

 

5. Reboot your Internet Router

Sometimes rebooting your Internet router is one way of fixing internet problems with Minecraft. It is not unusual for your internet router suddenly act up after being turned on for long periods. 

Here are 2 ways you can reboot your internet router:

 

Method 1

  1. Open your Network Admin page by typing “192.168.1.1” in any internet browser.

Reboot your internet router to fix Minecraft multiplayer not working

 

  1. Sign in with your account credential and details.

Reboot your internet router

 

  1. Navigate to your router’s admin and management tab and select the “Reboot” option. This will automatically reboot your device completely.

Reboot your internet router

 

Method 2

  1. Disconnect the device/s that are connected to your network.
  2. Go to your Internet router and hit the Power Switch🔌 to turn it OFF and disconnect its power source.
  3. Wait for about 20-30 seconds before turning the router back ON.
  4. Wait for the Router to finish booting and reconnect your device/s once it finishes.

 

 

6. Refresh Your IP Address and DNS

Same to how we can fix problems with our internet through a simple reboot, resetting your IP Address and DNS takes that fix a little further. Refreshing your IP Address and DNS allows you to reset your internet profile and settings which might be causing conflicts with your ability to play multiplayer in Minecraft.

This fix is almost exclusive to the desktop version of Minecraft as other platforms have their internet settings almost set to automatic. Here’s how you can refresh your IP Address and DNS:

  1. Open your Command Prompt as an Admin. You can access it by searching “CMD” on your computer.

Refresh your IP address and DNS to fix Minecraft multiplayer not working

 

  1. Type in “ipconfig /release” in the Command Prompt Window and hit enter. Wait for the process to finish.

Refresh your IP address and DNS

 

  1. Afterwards, type in “ipconfig /flushdns” in the next line of the Command Prompt. Hit enter and wait for it to finish as before until it asks you for the next input to type.

Refresh your IP address and DNS

 

  1. The next input will be “ipconfig /renew” which causes your IP address and DNS to reset and have its settings automatically renewed.

Refresh your IP address and DNS

 

Following all the steps above will restart your internet connection and should automatically fix any issues you might have with your internet connection. You can continue to the next step (Step 7) to add an additional layer of precaution and fixing.

 

 

7. Set Your DNS Address

Continuing from the previous fix, setting your DNS address from automatic to static is a great way of adding stability to your connection as well as future proof against any internet issues that might pop-up.

Using Google’s DNS Address is a great way to fix any issues with latency and connection with games and other application and it can be done through these steps:

 

For Desktop

  1. Open your computer’s “Settings”⚙️ by searching it up.

Set your DNS address on desktop to fix Minecraft multiplayer not working

 

  1. Select “Network & Internet” 🌐from the Category List for your Settings.

Set your DNS address on desktop

 

  1. Under the Internet Connection Status Page, select “Change Adapter Options” found underneath “Change your Network Settings”.

Set your DNS address on desktop

 

  1. Select the active network connection that your computer is currently connected to (Ex. Ethernet). Right-click it and select “Properties” from the option menu.

Set your DNS address on desktop

 

  1. Fnd “Internet Protocol Version 4(TCP/IPv4) in the terms list and highlight it. Once selected, click on “Properties”.

Set your DNS address on desktop

 

  1. Click and turn on “Use the following DNS Server Address” instead of using “Obtain DNS server address automatically”.

Set your DNS address on desktop

 

  1. For the “Preferred DNS Server”, use and type in the following address: “8 . 8 . 8 . 8”.

Set your DNS address on desktop

 

  1. For the “Alternate DNS Server” use and type in the following address: “8 . 8 . 4 . 4”.

Set your DNS address on desktop

 

  1. Click on “OK” to apply these changes.

 

We recommend restarting your computer after making these changes to check to see if everything is fixed and working in your Minecraft.

 

For Mobile

  1. Open your Phone’s Settings ⚙️ App

Set your DNS address on mobile to fix Minecraft multiplayer not working

 

  1. Select “Connection & Sharing” or something similar to it like “Network & Internet”.

Set your DNS address on mobile

 

  1. Find “Private DNS” from among the list of options and enable it.

Set your DNS address on mobile

  1. If you are prompted to select a mode, choose “DNS Provider”. Type in “dns.google” as the hostname for your provider. Hit Save to apply this configuration.

Set your DNS address on mobile

 

After following the steps above, we recommend restarting your mobile phone or reconnecting to your Wi-Fi network to make sure these changes were properly applied and are working.

 

 

8. Unblock Minecraft in Your Firewall

Since Minecraft uses the internet to be able to connect with others, it can sometimes be falsely flagged by your firewall which blocks outbound and inbound connections.

In this scenario, you would want to personally exempt Minecraft from your firewall to not only be able to play Multiplayer in Minecraft again but also prevent any issues caused by the game getting blocked. 

Here’s the simple steps for it:

  1. Open “Windows Defender Firewall” or something similar by searching it up on your computer.

Unblock Minecraft in your firewall to fix Minecraft multiplayer not working

 

  1. Select “Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Firewall” in the left-side task pane of the Windows Firewall Settings.

Unblock Minecraft in your firewall

 

  1. Select and click on “Change Settings” in the upper right portion of the app list found in the window. Find “javaw.exe” from the list and select it.

Unblock Minecraft in your firewall

 

  1. Check☑️ both boxes underneath the “Public” and “Private” columns. Click on “OK” after checking both these boxes to apply the changes.

Unblock Minecraft in your firewall

 

Checking both boxes allows any Minecraft game and feature to freely use your network and connection regardless of the assigned network ID you might have. We recommend continuing to the next step and restarting your computer to apply these changes for the next time you launch Minecraft.

 

 

9. Whitelist Minecraft in Your Antivirus/Security

Similar to how unblocking your Minecraft in your Firewall allows you to play multiplayer in Minecraft, whitelisting it is also an important step as getting flagged in your security can add another layer of restrictions with your game.

Same as before, we recommend that you unblock Minecraft as well as whitelist it to prevent any further incidents such as from happening. Here’s how you can do it:

  1. Open “Windows Security”🛡️ or something similar that functions as your system security feature.

Whitelist Minecraft in your antivirus/security to fix Minecraft multiplayer not working

 

  1. Select “Virus & Threat Detection” from the Action list or the left-side pane of the Windows Security Window.

Whitelist Minecraft in your antivirus/security

 

  1. Click on “Manage Settings” found underneath the “Virus & Threat Protection Settings” portion of the Virus & Threat Protection Window.

Whitelist Minecraft in your antivirus/security

 

  1. Scroll down until you reach the “Exclusion” category of the page and click on “Add or Remove Exclusions” found underneath it.

Whitelist Minecraft in your antivirus/security

 

  1. Click on “Add an Exclusion”➕ and select the “Folder”📁 type in the menu that pops right after.

Whitelist Minecraft in your antivirus/security

 

  1. Navigate to the folder you have Minecraft installed in and select it. Click on “Select Folder” once you select the folder in the same popup window to confirm and add it in your exclusion list.

Whitelist Minecraft in your antivirus/security

 

Once all the steps are finished from above, the file path to the Minecraft folder you have selected will be added to your exclusions list.All files in this folder will be excluded from your antivirus and security which allows it free movement in your PC.

Whitelist Minecraft in your antivirus/security

 

We recommend restarting your computer to give it time to apply the settings and unblock Minecraft completely. Following the previous step is also a good idea so that you can prevent any future problems.

 

 

10. Update Device Firmware and Network Driver

Having outdated software, firmware and drivers on your device/platform can sometimes cause problems not only in Minecraft but also with other games. Your firmware version and network driver plays an important role in multiplayer as Minecraft as being updated to the latest version as it reduces the number of errors as well as any bugs.

Here’s what you can do for each platform:

 

For Desktop

System Update

  1. Open your “Settings”⚙️in your computer by searching it up.

Update device firmware and network driver on desktop to fix Minecraft multiplayer not working

 

  1. Select “Update & Security” from the Windows Settings category list.

Update device firmware and network driver on desktop

 

  1. Select “Windows Update” underneath the Update & Security task pane.

Update device firmware and network driver on desktop

 

  1. Click on “Check for Updates” on the Windows Update page. 

Update device firmware and network driver on desktop

 

Network Drivers

  1. Open your “Device Manager” by searching and typing it up on your computer’s search bar.

Update device firmware and network driver on desktop

 

  1. Find the “Network Adapters” category and click on it to expand it. This will show you a list of different devices and ports that you have available to connect with the internet.

Update device firmware and network driver on desktop

 

  1. Right-click the network device/adapter that you are using and select “Update Driver” from the option list.

Update device firmware and network driver on desktop

 

  1. Select “Search automatically for update driver software” to start the update process.

Update device firmware and network driver on desktop

 

If a new update for the device’s driver you selected is found online, it will automatically be downloaded and installed. Otherwise, the window will inform you that you are already at the latest version possible.

 

For Mobile

  1. Open your Phone’s Settings ⚙️ app.

Update device firmware and network driver on mobile to fix Minecraft multiplayer not working

 

  1. Find your phone’s “About” and open it.

Update device firmware and network driver on mobile

 

  1. Tap on the phone’s firmware/version.

Update device firmware and network driver on mobile

 

  1. Tap on “Check for Updates”.

Update device firmware and network driver on mobile

 

Any new updates from your phone company will be immediately downloaded and applied to your phone if possible. No download will occur if you are updated to the latest version.

 

For Xbox

  1. Press the Xbox Button on your Controller
  2. Select “Profile & System” and Select “Settings”⚙️

Update device firmware and network driver on Xbox to fix Minecraft multiplayer not working

 

  1. Select “Systems” from your Settings and go to “Updates & Downloads”.

Update device firmware and network driver on Xbox

 

  1. Select “Update Console” from among them to start updating your Xbox. The option will be unavailable and will be “No Console Update Available” if you are on the latest version.

Update device firmware and network driver on Xbox

 

 

11. Port forwarding your Minecraft Server

When it comes to hosting servers in Minecraft, there is a chance that no one will be able to connect to your server because inbound connections are being blocked. Port forwarding is a simple technique that allows people to connect to your internet and server while still maintaining a good degree of protection and safety.

Following the steps below will allow you to easily port forward your Minecraft server and will help fix problems that are related with multiplayer not working:

  1. Navigate to your Minecraft Folder and find “server.properties”.

Port forwarding your Minecraft server to fix Minecraft multiplayer not working

 

  1. Right-click on the file and select “Open With”. Open it with a text editor like Notepad 🗒️.

Port forwarding your Minecraft server

 

  1. Find “Server-Port” in the properties file. Check for the port number that is set to your server or input the default values (25565 for Java and 19132 and 19133 for Bedrock Edition)

Port forwarding your Minecraft server

 

  1. Search and open “Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security” on your computer.

Port forwarding your Minecraft server

 

  1. Click “Inbound Rules” and select “New Rule”.

Port forwarding your Minecraft server

 

  1. Click on “Port” and then click on “Next”.

Port forwarding your Minecraft server

 

  1. Under the rule for the connection, select “TCP”.

Port forwarding your Minecraft server

 

  1. Select “Specific Local Ports” and input the port number you have in your properties file.

Port forwarding your Minecraft server

 

  1. Select “Allow Connection” and click on “Next” for the succeeding steps. Click on “Finish” once the option appears to apply the rule.

Port forwarding your Minecraft server

 

After finishing the steps above, repeat steps 5 to 9 to create another rule with the same configuration but select “UDP” instead of “TCP” for the rule.

Port forwarding your Minecraft server

 

 

Conclusion

Minecraft’s Multiplayer experience has always been grounds for fun adventures and memories that you can make with other people. The game is simple enough that you can readily open it and wind down from your busy day and schedule.

Online play is one of the best parts of playing Minecraft and we understand just how frustrating it can feel with having your gaming session interrupted by multiplayer suddenly not working. This guide we have prepared with 5 reasons why your Multiplayer in Minecraft might not be working along with 11 fixes for that will surely help you quickly get back to playing with your friends in no time!

Let us know down below 👇 in the comments:

  • If you found this guide helpful and which of the fixes worked best?
  • What do you personally enjoy the most about in Minecraft?
  • Any exciting projects you made with the app?
  • Any fixes that we can try and add it to our list of fixes?

Feel free to share this guide with your friends and fellow Minecraft players who might be suddenly finding their Multiplayer feature not working.

 

Written by Sam Mikkael Baguio

Sam is a student taking up Computer Engineering. Being an avid tech enthusiast, he has been writing since 2020 to share his insight and knowledge with everything about technology and computers. When he isn't writing any articles, he usually spends his time playing TCGs or exploring the world of Eorzea in FFXIV.

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